Railway switch operating mechanism



Oct. 30, 1945. H. 1.. BONE RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct 8, 1943 MN ww QM. NQ

NTOR.

- INVF fii fibep 111s ATTORNEY H. L. BONE Oct. 30, 1945.

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM I F iled Oct. 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- 8 4 mm m Q ml m V? I Mm Q\ NJ Aw M w .r w w N N gm m 9% Avg 15 11! ATTORNEY Patentecl Oct. 30, 1945 RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Herbert L. Bone, Forest Hills, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 8, 1943, Serial No. 505,501

8 Claims.

My invention relates to railway switch operating mechanisms, and particularly to improvements in hand operated switch and lock movements of the type described and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,184,870, granted to myself and another on December 26, 1939'.

The mechanism shown in said patent includes a motion plate reciprocable between two extreme positions by means of a hand lever, and operatively connected with the switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions. The motion plate is also connected with a lock bar which, when the switch is moved to one extreme position, normally enters a notch in a lock rod connected to the switch points to lock the switch in such one extreme position. I

One object of my present invention is the provision in a mechanism of thetype described of novel means for connecting the lock bar with the motion plate whereby, if the lock bar is prevented from entering the notch in the lock rod due for example to maladjustment of the lock rod, the stroke of the motion plate can be cornpleted by means of the hand lever and the hand lever secured in the corresponding extreme'position to enable trains to be run over the switch at slow speeds under hand signals.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means for indicating, by means of the usual target, when the switch is in its one extreme position but is unlocked.

According to my invention, I connect the motion plate of the mechanism with the lock bar by spring drive means which is normally efiective to cause the lock bar to follow the movements of the motion plate, but which, when the lock bar fouls on the lock rod due to maladjustment of the lock rod, yields and permits the stroke of the motion plate to be completed by the hand lever. I also attach to the lock bar an auxiliary motion plate which is operatively connected with the target in such manner that when the locking plunger fails t move to its locking position, the target will be moved to a position intermediate its two extreme positions. I

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

I shall describe two forms of railway switch operating mechanism embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a switch operating mechanism embodying m invention connected with a railway switch, the switch being shown diagrammatically and the cover of the mechanism bein removed to better illustrate the construction of the remaining parts. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the mechanismillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on the lines IVIV and VV, respectively, of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and '7 are fragmentary top and side views showing a modification of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, and also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference character I designates a casing provided with a removable cover 2, and adapted to be mounted adjacent a railway track switch S shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. Located within the casing I is a motion plate 3 which is guided to slide longitudinally of the casing by means of guide rollers 4 and 5 secured to the underside of the motion plate adjacent its opposite ends and cooperating with guideways 6 provided in the bottom wall of the casing. The motion plate 3 has rack teeth 3a formed on its upper surface on one side of the center line. These rack teeth mesh with a segment gear I mounted on a square shaft 8, which shaft, in turn, is mounted at its ends in bearing sleeves 9 and I0 journaled in bosses formed in the sidewalls of the casing I. Secured to the outer end of the shaft 8 by means of a through bolt II is a hand lever I2 which serves as a means for reciprocating the motion plate between its two extreme positions.

A roller I3 is secured to the underside of the motion plate 3 adjacent one side thereof at a point equally spaced from the rollers 4 and 5, and this latter roller cooperates with cam faces Ma and I4!) formed on an escapement crank I4 (see Fig. 1). The escapement crank I4 is formed integrally with the upper end of a switch actuating shaft I5, the shank of which is provided with two bearing surfaces I6 and I1 separated by a square portion I8. The bearing surfaces I6 and I! are journaled in vertically aligned bearings I9 and 20 formed respectively in the bottom wall of the casing I and in a depending stirru 2I which is provided on the underside of the casing, and adjustably secured to the square portion I8 of the shaft is a switch operating arm 22 which is operatively connected with the switch S.

A look bar 23 extends longitudinally of the casing I directly above the motion plate 25, and co- Fig. 1.

The portion of the switch operating mechanism thus far described is identical with that."

shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,184,870- referred to hereinbefore.

According to my present invention, the lock bar 23 is operatively connected with the motion plate 3 by spring drive means comprising in the form here shown a U-shaped driving member 45, the

arms of which extend upwardly on opposite sides of the lock bar, and the web portion of which extends transversely of the lock bar underneath the lock bar and is disposed in part in a transverse slot 230. formed in the underside of the lock bar and in part in a transverse slot 3| provided in the top of the motion plate. The outer sides of .the arms of the driving member are rounded and cooperate with rounded offset portions 470. formed on fiat springs 41 secured to the side of the lock bar. The springs are sufficiently stiff so that under normal conditions the lock bar will be constrained to move in unison with the motion plate.

The operation, as a whole, of the portion of the apparatus thus; far: described is as follows: When the hand throw lever 12 is rotated to its normal position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, the motion plate 3 is moved to its extreme left-hand or normal position in which it is shown in Fig. l, and

under these conditions, the switch points are held in their normal positions by engagement of the roller [3 with the cam surface Ma of the escapement crank I4, Furthermore, under these conditions, a force is transmitted from the motion ,plate 3 through the driving member 45 and springs 4'! to the lock bar 23, which force yieldably urges the lock bar toward the left, and since the notch 26. in the lock rod L is then in alignment with the lock bar, the lock bar is moved by the springs to its left-hand or looking position in which it enters thenotch 26, thus securely locking the switch S in its normal position.

When it is desired to reverse the switch, the hand lever 12 is rotated from the extreme positicnin which it is'shown in Fig. 1 to its opposite extreme position. This movement of the lever causes the motion plate 3 to move from its extreme left-hand position shown in the drawings to its extreme right-hand position, and this latter movement, in turn, is transmitted through the driving member 45 and springs Alto the lock bar 23. As a result, the lock bar is caused to move in step with the motion plate, thus withdrawing the lock bar from the notch 26 in the "lock rod L, and hence unlocking the switch S.

The parts are so proportioned that while the lock bar is being withdrawn from engagement with the notch 26 in the lockrod L, the roller l3 on the motion plate will continue to engage the escapementcrank M at the cam face I 4a which during this movement is parallel to the direction of movement of the rack bar, and as long as this portion of the cam face is engaging the roller, the

.crank I4 is held stationary. It follows, therefore, that during that portion of the movement of the rack bar which i necessary to unlock the movable rails of the switch, no force is exerted on these rails tending to reverse them. As soon, however, as this first part of the movement of the motion plate has been completed, the roller l3 then moves into engagement with the cam face Mb of the escapement crank which causes this crank to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, and as a result the movable rail of the switch are then moved to their reverse positions. During the final movement of the motion plate, the roller 13 moves along the straight portion of the cam surface Mb to such a position that any tendency of the switch actuating shaft to rotate in a direction to permit the switch points to move away from their reverse positions is effectively blocked by the roller. It will be seen, therefore, that when the switch points occupy their reverse extreme positions, they are effectively held in these positions due to the coaction between the roller and the escapement crank, and it will also be seen that any force which may be exerted on the switch tending to restore it to its normal position will cause a transverse force to be exerted on the rack bar rather than a longitudinal force, thus avoiding any tendency to reverse the hand throw lever due to any force which may be exerted on the switch.

In order to restore the movable rails to their normal positions after they have been reversed as above described, the hand throw lever I2 is restored to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. The subsequent movements of the parts under these conditions are just the reverse of those above described. However, since the driving force exerted on the look bar is transmitted through the driving member 45 and the springs 41 if the lock rod has gotten out of adjustment for any reason so, that the notch 26 fails to move into alignment with the lock bar, the resultant engagement of the lock bar with the side of the lock rod will cause the springs 41 to spread and thus disconnect the lock bar from the motion plate. This will permit the motion plate to complete its. stroke to its normal extreme position if .the switch points are not otherwise damaged.

Consequently, the hand' lever can be locked in its normal position by the usual lever latch stand (not shown), and trains can therefor be safely moved over the switch by hand signals. If the lock rod is in proper adjustment the lock bar will move in unison withthe motion plate and the switch will become locked up in its normal position in the intended manner.

After the. lock bar has once been disengaged from the motion plate, it can be reengaged by operating the mechanism to its reverse position. The resultant movement of the motion plate to its reverse position first causes the arms of the driving member 45 to move into engagement with the outwardly flared ends of the springs 41 whereupon the bar 23 is caused to move to the left with the motion plate. The bar will continue to move with the motion plate until shortly before the motion plate reaches the end of its stroke at which time a stop screw 48 secured to the lock bar will engage the end of the housing I, and prevent further movement of the lock bar. When this happens, the arms of the driving member 45 will force the springs apart and will move into engagement with the offset portions in the springs, thereby reconnecting the lock bar with the motion plate. 7

The mechanism also includes means embodying my invention for controllingv the usual target secured to the lower end of the target stafi, and

this crank is provided with a depending pin or cam follower 35 which extends into and cooperates with a cam slot 46 formed in an auxiliary motion plate 3'! secured by means of screws 38 to the upper side of the lock bar 23. The cam slot 46 is provided with oppositely extending end portions 45a and 4612 which are disposed at an angle to the direction of motion of the lock bar and with an intermediate connecting portion 450 which extends parallel to the direction of motion of the lock bar. The parts are so proportioned that movement of the lock bar between its two extreme positions will cause the target to rotate through an angle of substantially 90 and that when the lock bar is in engagemen with the side of the lock rod the target will be rotated approximately 40 from the extreme position it occupies when th lock bar occupies its full locking position. The fact that the target occupies approximately its mid stroke position when the switch occupies its normal position but is unlocked provides a visible indication to the trainman that the switch is unsafe for high speed movements over the switch.

The mechanism may also include a suitable circuit controller for controlling signals for governing the movement of tramc over the switch. This circuit controller may, for example, be identical with that shown and described in detail in the aforementioned United States Patent No. 2,184,870, and only a few of the principal parts of this circuit controller have therefore been shown herein, these parts being designated by the same reference characters as in the pat-.

ent. As shown, this circuit controller comprises a pivoted rocker arm H1 disposed directly above the lock bar 23. The arm It is provided with a cam face 10a which cooperates with a cam face 1306 provided on a cam dog 13 secured to the upper side of the lock bar 23 in such manner that when the lock bar is moved to the position in which it is withdrawn from the notch 26 in the lock rod L the cam face F311 will engage the cam face 10a shortly before the lock bar has cleared the notch and will positively rotate the rocker arm in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, from its normal extreme position to its reverse extreme position. The rocker arm is also provided with a cam face "Nib which joins the right-hand end of the cam face 10a and which cooperates with the top of the cam dog 73 to maintain the rocker arm in its reverse extreme position whenever the switch is unlocked. Operatively connected with the lefthand end of the rocker arm 19 are a plurality of contacts each comprising a movable contact finger 82 cooperating with a fixed contact finger 83. The contacts, as shown are so arranged that they will be closed or open according as the arm 10 occupies its reverse or its normal extreme position, and it follows, therefore, that when the lock bar fails to enter the notch 26 in the lock rod L due to maladjustment of the-lock rod, the

contacts will remain in their closed positions. The contacts will usually be employed to control a signal governing traffic over the switch in such manner that the signal cannot be cleared unless the contacts are open, thereby providing an additional warning against high speed movements over the switch when the switch occupies its normal position but is unlocked.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, as here shown, the spring drive means for the lock bar 23 comprises a substantially U-shaped spring member 50 having side arms 50a and 5% connected by a downwardly offset web 500. The arms 50a straddle the lock bar 23 and are provided at their free ends with inwardly offset portions 50d which cooperate with notches 5l provided in the sides of the lock bar and with vertically spaced inwardly extending supporting ears 50c disposed above and below the lock bar. The ends of the notches nearest the lock rod are tapered and the offset portions 50d are similarly tapered for a purpose which will be made clear presently. The downwardly offset portion 500 extends underneath the lock bar and is disposed in the transverse slot 3| in the motion plate. The parts are so proportioned that the inherent resiliency of the arms 59a and 5%! holds the offset portions 53d in the notches with suflicient force so that under normal conditions the lock bar will be constrained to follow the movements of the motion plate, but that, if the notch 26 in the lock rod fails to align with the lock bar when the switch is moved to its normal position by the mechanism, the action between the tapered ends of the notches and the tapered portion of the offset portion will force the arms 50a and 58b apart to thereby disconnect the lock bar from the motion plate. After the lock bar has become disconnected from the motion plate it can become reconnected by operating the mechanism to its reverse position. This will cause the offset portion 50d to reenter the notches 5| in the lock rod in a manner which will be readily understood from the foregoing and from an inspection of the drawings without further detailed description.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of railway switch operating mechanism embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a switch operating mechanism comprising a casing containing a motion plate reciprocable between two extreme positions and operatively connected with a switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably mounted in said casing and Operatively connected with the switch, a lock bar slidably mounted in said casing and movable between a locking position in which it looks said lock rod and an unlocking position, spring means connecting said lock bar with said motion plate in such manner that said lock bar normally moves in unison with said motion plate but that said spring means will yield and disengage said lock bar from said motion plate if said lock bar is prevented from moving to its locking position due to maladjustment of said lock rod when said mechanism is operated to move said switch to its one extreme position, a target, and means operated by said lock bar for operatin said target.

2.. In a switch operating mechanism comprising a casing containing a motion 'plate reciprocable between two extreme positions and operatively connected with a switch for moving the: switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably mounted in said casing and operatively connected. with the switch, a lock bar slidably mounted. in said casing. and: movable between a Iocking position in. which it locks said lock, rod and an unlocking position, spring means connecting said lock bar with. said motion plate in. such manner that said lock bar normally-moves in. unison with said motion plate but that said spring means will yield and disengage said lock bar from said, motion plate if said: lock bar is prevented from looking said lock rod due to maladjustment of said. lock rod when said mechanism is. operated tomove said switch to its one extreme position, an auxiliary motion plate secured to said lock bar, and a target operated by said auxil iary motion plate.

3. In a switch operating mechanism comprising a casing containing a motionplate reciprocable between two extreme positions and opera.- tively connected with a switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably' mounted in said casing and operatively connected with the switch, a. lock bar slidably mounted in said casing and movable between a locking position in which it looks said lock rod and an unlocking position, spring means connecting said lock. bar with said motion plate in such manner that said lock' bar normally moves in unison with said motion plate but that said spring means will yield and disengage said lock bar from said. motion plate if said lock" bar is prevented from locking said lock rod due to. maladjustment of said lock rod when said mechanism is operated to move said switch to its one extreme position, an auxiliary motion plate secured to said lock bar, and a target operated by said auxiliary motion plate to. one extreme position or another. or to an intermediate position according as said lock bar is moved to its locking position, its unlocking position or the position it occupies when it is prevented from looking said lock rod.

4. In a switch operating mechanism comprising a casing containing a mot-ion plate reciprocal:le between two extreme positions and operatively connected with a switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably mounted in said casing and operatively connected with the switch, said lock rod being provided with a notch, a lock bar slidably mounted in said casing and movable between a locking position in which it enters said notch and an unlocking position, means for operatively connecting said lock bar with said motion plate comprising a U-shaped driving member having arms extending upwardly on opposite sides of said lock bar and. a web portion extending transversely of the lock bar underneath the lock bar anddisposed in part in a transverse slot provided in the underside of said lock bar and in part in a transverse slot provided in the top of said motion plate, and flat springs; secured to the opposite. sides of said lock bar and provided with onset portions which receive saidarm, said springs normally being effective to cause said lock bar to move in unison with said motion plate but being sufficiently flexible to permit said arms to separate said springs and disengage said lock bar from said motion plate in the event said notch is out of alignment with said lock bar when said motion plate is moved to the extreme position iDzWhiChSdldlOCk bar normally enters said notch.

5. In a switch operating mechanism comprising'a casing containing, a motion plate reciprocable between two extreme. positions and operatively connected with a. switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably mounted in said casing and operatively connected with the switch, said lock. rod being provided withanotch, a lock bar slidably mounted in said casing and movable between a locking position inwhich it enters said notch and an unlocking position, means for operatively connecting said lock bar with said motion plate comprising a U-shaped driving member having arms extending upwardly on opposite sides of said lock bar and a web portion extending transversely of the lock barunderneath the lock bar and disposed in part in a transverse slot provided in the underside of said lock bar and in part in a transverse slot provided in the top of said motion plate, flat springs secured to the opposite sides of said lock bar and provided with ofiset portions which receive said arm. said springs normally being efiective to cause said lock bar to move in unison with said motion plate but being sufilciently flexible to permit said arms to separate said springs and disengage said lock bar from said motion plate in the event said notch isout of alignment with said lock bar when said motion plate is moved to the extreme position in which said lock bar normally enters said notch, and a stop screw secured to said lock bar and effective to limit movement of said lock bar to its unlocking position to cause said arms to reenter the ofiset portions in said springs when said motion plate is moved to the extreme position corresponding to the unlocking position of said lock bar.

6. In a switch operating mechanism comprising a casing containing a motion plate'reciprocable between two extreme positions and operatively connected with a switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably mounted in said casing and operatively connected with the switch, said lock rod being provided with a notch, alock bar slidably mounted inv said casing and movable between a. locking position in which it enters said notch and an unlocking position, means for operatively connecting said lock. bar with said motion plate comprising a. substantially U.-shaped spring member having side arms straddling said lock bar and connected at one end by a downwardly offset web disposed in a transverse slot provided in the top of said motion plate, saidv side arms being provided at their free ends with inwardly ofi'set portions which cooperate with notches provided in the opposite sides o-fsaid lock bar and with vertically spaced inwardly extending ears disposed above and below said lock bar, the ends of said notches nearest said lock. rod being tapered and said offset portions being similarly tapered,v the parts being so proportioned that the inherent resiliency of the side arms normally holds the offset portions in said notches to cause said lock bar to move in unison with said motion plate but that if the notch in said lock'rod fails to align with said lock bar when the motion plate is moved to the extreme position in which said lock bar normally enters said notch the cam action between the tapered ends of said notches and the tapered portions of said offset portions will force said arms apart to disconnect said lock barfrom the motion plate.

'7. In a switch operating mechanism comprising a casing containing a motion plate reciprocable between two extreme positions and operatively connected with a switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably mounted in said casing and operatively connected with the switch, said lock rod being provided with a notch, a lock bar slidably mounted in said casing and movable between a locking position in which it enters said notch and an unlocking position, means for operatively connecting said lock bar with said motion plate comprising a substantially U-shaped spring member having side arms straddling said lock bar and connected at one end by a downwardly offset web disposed in a transverse slot provided in the top of said motion plate, said side arms being provided at their free ends with inwardly offset portions which cooperate with notches provided in the opposite sides of said lock bar and with vertically spaced inwardly extending ears disposed above and below said lock bar, the ends of said notches nearest said lock rod being tapered and said of;- set portions being similarly tapered, the parts being so proportioned that the inherent resiliency of the side arms normally holds the offset portions in said notches to cause said lock bar to move in unison with said motion plate but that if the notch in said lock rod fails to align with said lock bar when the motion plate is moved to the extreme position in which said lock bar normally enters said notch the cam action between the tapered ends of said notches and the tapered portions of said ofiset portions will force said arms apart to disconnect said lock bar from the motion plate, and stop means secured to said lock bar and effective when said bar is disengaged from said motion plate to cause said offset portions to reenter said notches when said motion plate is next moved to the extreme position corresponding to the unlocking position of said lock bar.

8. In a switch operating mechanism comprising a casing containing a motion plate reciprocable between two extreme positions and operatively connected with a switch for moving the switch between its two extreme positions, in combination, a lock rod slidably mounted in said casing and operatively connected with the switch, a lock bar slidably mounted in said casing and movable between a locking position in which it locks said lock rod and an unlocking position, spring means connecting said lock bar with said motion plate in such manner that said lock bar normally moves in unison with said motion plate but that said spring means will yield and disengage said lock bar from said motion plate if said lock bar is prevented from moving to its locking position due to maladjustment of said lock rod when said mechanism is operated to move said switch to its one extreme position, a target, and means operated by said lock bar for operating said target in such manner that the target will be moved to a position intermediate its two extreme positions when the locking plunger fails to move to its locking position.

HERBERT L. BONE. 

